War
by pixelsurgeon
Summary: Cesare had a perfect plan. He thought it would go perfectly...but of course, nothing goes perfectly with Cesare executing it. And now, with Juan back, this can only mean one thing...


**A/N: **Alright, so! Juan's coming back! I just couldn't resist not writing about it…AU because I have no clue what's going to actually happen.

* * *

Cesare stood in a corner, scowling.

Why did Juan have to come back? Was it God punishing Cesare for his sins?

It didn't matter.

He was back.

Lucrezia seemed to somehow have forgiven him, and was talking to him and smiling.

Cesare sighed.

He decided to go talk to Juan.

Corners were more Micholetto's thing, anyways.

Cesare reached Juan just as Vannozza came to take Lucrezia to a new suitor.

"And how goes Spain, brother?" Cesare asked.

"Spain goes." Juan said in return.

"You haven't been enjoying your time there?"

"It's quite boring. I much prefer the drama here." Juan said, smirking.

"You have missed quite a bit." Cesare said.

"As I have heard."

"You know, Juan…" Cesare said, "I've been thinking, and I think we need a rematch."

Cesare had the perfect plan, it was absolutely _perfect_. Micholetto would have been proud.

"For what?"

"That fight, remember? The one I won?"

"Ah…yes…though I don't think you won."

"Then explain to me why I had my sword to your neck and not the other way around."

"Fine, we'll have a rematch. Where and when do you want it?" Juan asked resignedly.

"Here and now." Cesare said.

Juan looked around.

Between Lucrezia's marriage and Juan's return, the hall was packed with people.

"Why here?" Juan asked.

"Someone should bear witness to who wins. I'll fight you for the papal armies, how's that?"

"Father will never give them to you."

"Use your imagination, dear Juan."

"Fine." he said, "Here, now, and for the papal armies."

Juan drew his sword, not even bothering to notice that Cesare had none.

Juan slashed at Cesare, who barely ducked out of the way.

People were parting for them.

They were almost in view of the Borgia pope, and….perfect.

Cesare let himself be pushed against a column with Juan's sword to his throat.

Cesare smiled at Juan.

Then he yelled, "HELP!"

Juan backed up a few steps, dropping his sword.

"My brother, he tried to kill me!" Cesare said to the people stepping in around him, "Did you see? He's a madman, he wants to murder me."

"LIAR!" Juan yelled.

And then Rodrigo Borgia stepped through the crowd, shoving people out of his way.

"You." he said, pointing at the Borgia brothers in turn, "My rooms. As quickly as possible."

Juan shoved through the crowd on the way to the stairs, while Cesare pretended to be traumatized and had people support him until he could grab the banister.

As soon as they were both out of sight, Cesare caught up.

"I hate you." Juan said.

"Never accept an offer to duel in a crowded room." Cesare said, "Use your common sense."

"Why would you _do_ that to me?"

"Power, Juan. I've changed some since you left. In fact, I've changed quite a bit since you left."

"Father will believe me." Juan said.

"I don't know." Cesare said, shrugging.

"He always does."

"Why, I have no idea."

This set Juan seething and the rest of the walk was in silence.

Somehow their father was already there.

Cesare re-adopted his traumatized expression before Juan told him he looked like a stunned goat.

"I'm disappointed in both of you." Rodrigo said.

"It's _Juan_ you should be disappointed in." Cesare said.

"It was his fault." Juan said.

"I know." Rodrigo said.

"_What?_" Cesare asked, "How can you believe that?"

"You want control. You wanted me to think he was mad so you would have control of the papal armies." Rodrigo said. When Cesare opened his mouth to say something, Rodrigo put up a hand.

"Don't try to lie to me." he said, "You're my son, I would have done exactly the same thing, _but_ that doesn't justify what you did."

"What has he done for you?" Cesare asked.

"What I required of him." Rodrigo said, "Can the same be said for you?"

"I got you the Medici gold-"

"Did I ask you to?"

"Told the Sforzas what they needed to do-"

"That worked so well."

"I blew up the French cannon so we would be victorious!" Cesare yelled.

"That was you. And that was helpful. But all of these are not things I asked you to do."

"You asked me for help with the Sforzas!" Cesare said.

"And as I recall, you murdered one of them and had relations with the other."

"All Juan's done is marry a Spanish woman!"

"Exactly, because that is all I wanted him to do." Rodrigo said.

Cesare sunk to the ground.

How had his perfect plan backfired like this?

As he watched Juan's smirk begin, he decided something.

This could not be taken lightly, this was important.

So his father favored Juan, he already knew that.

But now…something had changed.

This meant war.

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**A/N: **Please review!


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